Imagine volunteering to care for the sick or dying, day in and day out.

There are many people in the Arkansas River Valley who do just that, volunteering their time daily or weekly to provide companionship and attend to the needs of the sick and dying. As they offer mental, physical and spiritual support to others, who is taking care of them?

Care for the Caregivers is a new monthly support group available for “professional volunteers” meeting the first Monday of each month from 7-8:30 p.m. at All Saints’ Episocopal Church.

“There is a need to help keep caregivers mentally healthy,” R. E. Hodges, local director for the Area Agency on Aging West Central Arkansas, said. “It can be a difficult thing to manage and people are often not aware of the physical affect taking care of others can have on caregivers.”

Dover resident and volunteer Kaye Staggs knows first hand the emotional and physical toll taking care of others in various stages of illness can have on the body, mind and soul.

She is a chaplain with the Community of Hope, an Ecumenical Order of Chaplains, a grief counselor for the Mourners Path and a volunteer at Arkansas Hospice.

“As an 11th hour vigil keeper, I’m called to sit with the patient at the end of their earthly journey and minister to the family of the dying,” Staggs said of her work with hospice. “I am involved in situations day in and day out, that deal not only with death and grief, but also those in need of even the basics of life.”

Staggs attends a monthly support meeting for chaplains in Little Rock. It was after one of her support meetings she felt called to start a support group for caregivers in the Arkansas River Valley.

“I know what it’s like to feel overloaded and need the support of others who understand the type of stress that comes from this type of ministry,” Staggs said. “By coming together on a monthly basis, we can serve each other by offering an ear and a heart for listening to the concerns or those lingering hard to put into place feelings we squire from the different situations that we have faced as we serve the elderly, chronically ill and dying of our community.”

Volunteers from all agencies are welcome to attend the community Christian based ecumenical group.

Throughout the year counselors, chaplains, ministers and professors will speak to the group. During each meeting members will be encouraged to share personal stories to the group or in a one-on-one setting.

“This will be the Comfort Zone,” Staggs said. “Some will share a little and some will share a lot. Others might be more comfortable listening. Its a place to de-stress and recharge.”